This is the moment a controversial Catholic priest rides into church on a donkey like Jesus Christ before Easter in a move that’s sparked fury among parishioners.

The bizarre incident occurred in the village of Nowy Gieraltow in Klodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland and has been viewed nearly 300,000 times on social media.

In the video, the priest at the parish of St. John the Baptist can be seen riding into church on the back of a donkey, just as Jesus is said to have done over 2,000 years ago on Palm Sunday.

Picture Credits: CEN/@BurmistrzStroniaSlaskiego & CEN

The priest, holding a palm branch in his left hand, hops off the donkey when it reaches the altar in front of the congregation who begin taking snaps of the bizarre stunt before the traditional Palm Sunday mass.

The video was posted online by the former Mayor of the nearby town of Stronia Slaskie and netizens were quick to criticise the priest for imitating Jesus.

User ‘Magdalena Pisarska’ joked: “If he wants to play that role, then he should do it till the end – on Friday he shall be crucified like Jesus!”

And ‘Jacek Drobek’ wrote: “I can see two donkeys here – one sitting on another with hay in his head instead of a brain…”

While outraged ‘Krzysztof Krzysikowski’ commented: “What stupidity from the priest. Jesus only entered Jerusalem but not the temple because he would profane this sacred place.”

Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches or other native trees representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey a week before Easter Sunday.